No funds to fight dengue in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang mayoralty has yet to start its operation to prevent dengue fever here because of a limited budget, the mayoralty's health office head Nuriman Machyudin said on Wednesday.

"We are still waiting for financial assistance from the West Java administration to procure chemicals needed to destroy the mosquitoes and their breeding grounds," Nuriman said.

He said the mayoralty needed Rp 170,000 (US$25) to disinfect 40 houses. "Rp 90,000 is for the fumigation worker's allowance and Rp 80,000 for one liter of Malathion chemicals."

According to Tangerang General Hospital, as many as 26 patients have been treated for preliminary dengue fever this month.

This week at least three people, residents of the densely- populated areas of Jatiuwung, Karawaci and Cibodasari, have reportedly suffered dengue fever.

The health office has records of some 17 subdistricts in Jakarta which are known for outbreaks of dengue fever, including the subdistricts of Sukasari, Karawaci Baru, Cibodasari, Jatake and Cimone.

The mayoralty's secretary Achmad Sudjai admitted that he had not heard about a dengue fever epidemic.

"I don't know. I have yet to receive a report on such a dengue fever epidemic," Sudjai said.

He said the mayoralty had not yet allotted funds in anticipation of an epidemic. (41/jun)